Chinnaswami Rajam (28 November 1882 – 21 July 1955) was a visionary entrepreneur, eminent industrialist, and the founder of the present

Madras Institute of Technology Madras Institute of Technology (MIT) is an engineering institute located in Chromepet, Chennai, India. It is one of the four autonomous constituent colleges of Anna University. It was established in 1949 by Chinnaswami Rajam as the first sel ...

of the Anna University,

Chennai Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of ...

. The late Dr. C. P. Ramaswami Iyer called him a "pioneer in the industrial field".

Early life

C. Rajam was born in 1882 in the village of Swamimalai, (near Kumbakonam) in

Thanjavur District Thanjavur District is one of the 38 districts of the state of Tamil Nadu, in southeastern India. Its headquarters is Thanjavur. The district is located in the delta of the Cauvery River and is mostly agrarian. As of 2011, Thanjavur district ...

Madras State Madras State was a state of India during the mid-20th century. At the time of its formation in 1950, it included the whole of present-day Tamil Nadu (except Kanyakumari district), Coastal Andhra, Rayalaseema, the Malabar region of North and ...

(now

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil languag ...

). After completing his high school education at the Town High School, Kumbakonam, he joined the Salem Government Weaving School in 1904 to master the art of weaving process. In the beginning he established a handloom factory (fly shuttle loom) to produce dhotis, towels, shirt material etc., but latter also started trading of consumer items. After not being so successful in those business, he became a volunteer in the

congress party The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party but often simply the Congress, is a political party in India with widespread roots. Founded in 1885, it was the first modern nationalist movement to emerge in the British Em ...

and learnt the hardship faced by the mankind. A meeting with Pandit

Madan Mohan Malaviya Madan Mohan Malaviya ( (25 December 1861 — 12 November 1946) was an Indian scholar, educational reformer and politician notable for his role in the Indian independence movement. He was president of the Indian National Congress four times and ...

, attracted him towards the philosophical aspects of life.Prema Srinivasan, "A Visionary’s Reach — C. Rajam and the Founding of the Madras Institute of Technology", year 2014. http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-business/from-the-blurb-18214/article5700865.ece

As an Industrialist

In early 1909, Rajam started the business of leather goods with Mysoor Tanneries with the financial help of his friends, and it was a turning point in his life that lead to his future prosperity. After venturing for nearly five years, he joined Mysore Tanneries as a manager and the company flourished at national and international level where they were dealing with overseas European stores like Whiteway Laidaw & company. In the year 1918, Rajam founded India Company Private Limited with three partners and in the year 1923 this company became the agent of Tata Steel Limited and were trading 2,000 tons of steel per month. This venture turned Rajam into a successful influential business manager in Madras. In the next move Rajam founded the Kumbakonam Electric Supply Corporation Limited in the year 1932 and subsequently in 1933 he started two more companies: Negapatam Electric Supply Company Limited and Indian Steel Rolling Mills Limited. The business in companies proved highly lucrative and Rajam became a leading industrialist in the Madras state. He was the chairman of five companies: India Company Pvt. Ltd., Kumbakonam Electric Supply Corporation Ltd., Negapatam Electric Supply Company Limited, Indian Steel Rolling Mills Limited and Garage Limited. The initial paid up capital of these companies exceeded rupees of 5 million at that time.

Founding of Madras Institute of Technology

Mr. Rajam was family oriented and wanted best for his six children, but after the loss of one of his sons and latter wife in 1944, he turned

philanthropic Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives, for the public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private good, focusing on material ...

. He sold two bungalows for the sum of rupees 0.5 million to acquire the land for the institute:

(MIT). The intention behind to establish a technical institute was driven by the lack of Indian manpower to install and maintain equipment used in those industries. He received assistance from notable personalities such as M. Subbaraya Aiyar, M. K. Ranganthan, K. Srinivasan, C. R. Srinivasan and L. Venkatakrishna Iyer. During a special address at the MIT Alumni Association, the

former president of India The president of India is the head of state of the Republic of India and the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. The president is referred to as the first citizen of India. Although vested with these powers by the Constitution of ...

late Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam described Rajam in his speech as: "He visualized the design, development, maintenance and operation of engineering system should be integrated in the technological field. That is how he worked for founding MIT".

Recognition by the Prime Minister of India

The

first prime minister of India Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (; ; ; 14 November 1889 – 27 May 1964) was an Indian Anti-colonial nationalism, anti-colonial nationalist, secular humanist, social democrat— * * * * and author who was a central figure in India du ...

Pandit

Jawaharlal Nehru Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (; ; ; 14 November 1889 – 27 May 1964) was an Indian anti-colonial nationalist, secular humanist, social democrat— * * * * and author who was a central figure in India during the middle of the 20t ...

’s speech at the first convocation (9 October 1952) of

highlighted the efforts by the founder and his companions: "Anyhow, the most impressive fact of this young and growing institute is that you, having started from small beginnings, are making good progress more with your own efforts, than what you could have if you had an easier time, having all things put before you".

Death and legacy

On 21 July 1955, Shri C. Rajam died at the age of 73. Sri Prakasa,

Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

, C. Rajagopalachari, Kasturi Srinivasan, C. R. Srinivasan, C. Subramaniam and

M. Bhaktavatsalam Minjur Bhakthavatsalam (9 October 1897 – 13 February 1987) was an Indian independence activist and politician who served as the chief minister of Madras State from 2 October 1963 to 6 March 1967. He was the last Congress chief minister of Ta ...

, among others, offered their condolences to the family at his residence. One of the granddaughter of Rajam, Dr. Prema Srinivasan is a famous author and a regular reviewer of children's books in the newspaper '' The Hindu''.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rajam, Chinnaswami 1882 births 1955 deaths Indian Hindus Businesspeople from Tamil Nadu Indian company founders Founders of Indian schools and colleges Indian industrialists People from Thanjavur district 20th-century Indian businesspeople 20th-century Indian philanthropists